With the NBA withdrawal deadline officially passed, it’s time to update the early preseason rankings for the 2022-23 season. ESPN’s Dick Vitale published the latest version of his dazzling dozen, spotlighting the top 12 teams as it stands right now.
And sitting right at the top are the North Carolina Tar Heels.
UNC takes the top spot again in Vitale’s updated rankings, holding serve from the previous version. The Tar Heels beat out Kentucky (No. 2), Arkansas (No. 3), Houston (No. 4), and Gonzaga (No. 5) for the top spot.
Here is what Vitale had to say about UNC in his latest rankings ahead of the new season:
It’s great to have an All-American in Armando Bacot returning up front. Having Caleb Love, Leaky Black and R.J. Davis provides continuity and experience. The Tar Heels also bring in 6-9 recruit Jalen Washington and point guard Seth Trimble, providing lots of depth. Hubert Davis has a reason to smile and the Heels may add another transfer. They tried to get Matthew Mayer from Baylor but fell short. Look for bigger things from Puff Johnson.
While Vitale notes the usual suspects he also mentions [autotag]Puff Johnson[/autotag] and to expect big things from him going into the season. The Tar Heels have an open spot in their starting rotation after missing out on Matthew Mayer and if Johnson can fill it and improve, UNC could be even better.
We should also keep an eye on the recruiting class and especially Seth Trimble who is really elevating his game. [autotag]Jalen Washington[/autotag] and Tyler [autotag]Nickel[/autotag] will join him while Will Shaver has already been on campus.